This counts as an inquiry on your credit report and it negatively affects your score. Sometimes you can't avoid it, but if you are looking at competing credit repair companies they should NOT do this.

Remember these tips to protect your credit and more:

• Never give your credit card or bank account number over the phone.
• Never be pressured into making an immediate decision over the phone.
• Unidentifiable charges on your credit card.
• Report problems immediately to your credit card company
• Be careful about using your debit card because it doesn't have the same protection as a credit card.
• Cover the keypad when entering you PIN number when using your debit/ATM card.
• Don't give your credit card to people you know.
• Don't lend your card to anyone.
• Give a merchant the signed credit card receipt rather than leaving it on the table.
• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• Always, always read the small print.
• Buy a paper shredder for your all your personal documents.

Identity theft is, unfortunately, a continually growing concern. Stolen personal information can be your name, address, social security number, date of birth and credit card numbers. Using this information a criminal can charge items and services on your credit cards, obtain and use credit in your name, start a mobile phone agreement in your name, open a checking account in your name, secure a bank loan in your name, apply for a job using your social security number and even more.

Protect yourself from identity theft. Be smart with your personal information.

Change your PIN number associated to your debit and credit cards frequently. If you use the Internet, change the password to websites where important information resides. Do not use the same password for websites having little or no personal information associated to it versus websites where your personal information is. Better yet, keep separate passwords for each of the more sensitive websites you have accounts for.